Kirito The Elemental Bladeking
by LupineKing
Summary: Kirigaya Kazuto is a brilliant young man who has just received a game as a birthday present. However it is not just any old game. It is Royal Road, the most advanced virtual reality game in the history of the world. Follow his exploits as he seeks to carve out his legend on the continent of Versailles. Full summary inside...Rated M for safety
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Kirigaya Kazuto is a brilliant young man who has just received a game as a birthday present. However it is not just any old game. It is Royal Road, the most advanced virtual reality game in the history f the world. Follow his exploits as he seeks to carve out his legend on the continent of Versailles. [This is basically a Sword Art Online and Moonlight Sculptor crossover fanfic that explores what it would be like for kirito to be born in the world of Weed and get the chance to play Royal Road instead of SAO. This fic may contain elements of Ark]

** This story actually came to me as I was sleep deprived and jacked up on coffee whilst trying to force myself to organize ideas for my other stories. I finished up and crawled in bed hoping for some well-deserved sleep and dreams when I realized I couldn't sleep. (Yeah, probably the coffee) Anyway due to the persistent recommendations of a good friend I have been reading a lot of Moonlight Sculptor and Ark lately. I have come to love them. So I decided to check out their fanfictions and headed over to their archives( has a lot of the first). Three hours later and still no sleep I leapt out of bed mad with ideas and began typing this out. When I woke up the next morning (it was around 2 in the afternoon actually) I read it over what I had and thought to myself, 'This could work'. So I talked it over with the friend who started it all and he helped me finish it and put it up for you to read. Check it out! Who knows if I get enough reviews I might continue this story. Major pros to my friend Smiley_2 for all his help.**

**Disclaimer:** I LupineKing (places one hand on bible and raises the other into the air) do here by declare that I do not own any part of the original works. As usual, I acknowledge that anything the original creators and owners came up with and put into the series before I began writing this fanfic belongs to them I however own whatever plotlines, techniques, OCs, yada … yada I put into this fanfic. This piece is simply for fun and I rake in no profits, just reviews (I hope). So help me God.

"Strange cave looks pretty dangerous." - Normal person's voice.

"**Come in mortal, I've got cookies."** – Demon/Boss monster's voice

'Does he really think I'll fall for that?' – Normal person's thoughts

'**Come on! Make my day. Just step in'** – Demon/Boss monster's thoughts

"Danger Sense!" – Skill activation command

-I**nventory**- - Display window

Chapter one:

**Part 1**

Kazuto was ready. He had waited a long time to play the game and he could honestly say the fact that the capsule was right in front of him was so tempting that he could barely look at it without wanting to use it. It had taken a lot of convincing but his parents had come through for him. It came today and he could already tell that this was probably going to be the best birthday present ever. It was too bad he had an exam the next day. Getting up he left his bedroom and headed towards the kitchen to make himself a snack. Once he returned he tried to turn his mind back to his studies. Emphasis on 'tried'. His thoughts kept going back to the game. It didn't help too that this was his fourth time reading through the book before him.

Royal Road was the name of the game, the game that had changed the face of the whole world. It was released just seven months ago by Unicron, the company at the forefront of virtual reality research. As such Royal Road boasted of the most advanced virtual reality software in existence. It was fully immersive with such detail that it was nearly impossible to distinguish between it and reality. The artificial intelligence used in the creation of its NPCs was so advanced that it would not be wrong to simply think of them as people. The result of this was a game that had captured nearly 75% of the world's market game share and 90% percent of Korea's market share as well.

This was because of the freedom that the game provided. In addition to being incredibly advanced, Royal Road offered players a large variety of races and professions. This being a virtual reality game it meant that players could actually know what it felt like to be a member of one of those races. Kazuto understood the appeal of this full well as it was one of the factors in his decision to play Royal Road. Also the nearly boundless number of lands and cities as well as professions gave Royal Road an incredible charm. Its virtually unlimited choices and quests as well as the ability to live them all out called for people to just try it.

It was a world where one could be anyone or anything. Where one could make a name for his or herself, slay monsters, start a business, learn skills that were actually applicable in real life. Earn fame and act out fantasies. What was there not to love about the game? Sure it was a bit expensive when compared to other games but the possibilities offered were endless. Thus in the few months that Royal Road had been released a whole new sub culture had been created. All in game exploits and events were closely followed by the media. Royal Road quickly became the most talked about topic of discussion even for middle aged workers and pensioners. Pretty soon it led to the creation of virtual industries such as item trading and in game businesses. For all intents and purposes Royal Road was likely something that was going to stay.

That was why he spent all that time trying to convince his parents. Royal Road was the only game in the world where one actually could gain, fame, power and money. It was definitely something he had to be a part of. The reason it was so difficult to convince them was because his parents were a bit old fashioned. They believed games not only detracted from study time but were guaranteed to make grades fall. It was the major reason why he and his sister had so few games growing up. Most of those came as presents from friends and relatives. Truth be told, he understood their point for the most part. Games did take up a lot of time. Time they felt should be used for studies and here was the case he was on a scholarship.

Yes, Kazuto was a Japanese boy who thanks to his impressive grades and keen intellect had scored a full scholarship to study in one of the most prestigious universities in Korea. It was an achievement he was proud of and one he knew his parents were proud of as well. Anything that could jeopardize his scholarship was to be avoided at all costs. It had taken a while for him to explain and convince them that his grades would not fall and that he could schedule his study sessions so that any extra gaming would not affect his effective study time. He targeted all the points he knew would cause contention and gradually wore them down until they agreed. However one of the conditions under which they did so stated that the moment his grades began to drop he would get rid of the capsule.

Kazuto knew he had nothing to worry about. He was breezing through his course as is. He was fortunate enough to be studying something that actually piqued his interests and had an IQ of 190. To be honest he was even get a little bored due to how slow the class was progressing. He got that it was only the first year but he wanted to get to the cool stuff already. All he needed to do was write his final paper of the semester tomorrow and he could finally log in to Royal Road. So seeing as he was certainly not studying he switched of the lights and went to sleep.

The paper was in fact easier than Kazuto had thought it would be. As he walked out of the exam hall he could see some of his course mates celebrating the end of the semester. A few sent greetings his way and he responded with a small smile. He watched as they met with friends and passed around congratulations. No one came up to him to him though. Why? Kazuto was a loner. He had been a loner for a long time, long before he even came to Korea. In fact he had never been much of a people person. His friend circle had never numbered more than his fingers. Coming to Korea effectively distanced him from the few he had as well. It was a bit sad but he did not moan about it.

Sure a few people had approached him when he first started school here but most left as quickly as they came. The combination of the awkwardness of his Korean (the language), inexperience at making friends and his standoffish nature served well to deter them. He did not care much about that though. He actually liked the solitude. It helped to preserve his greatly valued privacy as well as provide more time for his hobbies of reading and people watching.

None of that mattered now anyway. He was in a hurry to get home and play Royal Road. As he set off on a brisk walk towards his apartment, he questioned for the first time his decision to move out of the student housing. In doing so however he realized that he was being stupid. He had done so in the first place after he had gotten robbed on too many times there, that and the fact that he did not like his roommate. Besides his apartment was much better than the student dorm, it was not expensive when compared to similar ones and it was not very far from campus. After all it was still in walking distance. Completely ignoring the fact that 3.4 kilometres was beyond what most people thought of as walking distance and placing a pair of headphones on his head, he quickened his pace and listened to some music.

It was not long before he was in front of his apartment building. It was not very large being only a total of 6 stories high with 21 large apartments. It was also his place of work. Kazuto considered himself to be quite fortunate indeed to have found such a place to live. The rent was within reasonable limits and it was further lowered for him since he was an employee. His job wasn't very difficult either. He just helped take care of the place, make repairs, water plants and run errands that sort of thing. He was quite aware that few students had jobs that paid as well. Even fewer had such great places to live and he had both. With a smile on his face he ran up the stair to his apartment.

Fixing himself a quick snack, he went over his check list. In the weeks before the capsule was delivered Kazuto had researched Royal Road to the best of his ability. He was the sort person who preferred to plan something out before starting. In fact, he was the kind of person that once something caught his interest he did his best to understand it properly. Even Royal Road came out many months ago and had dominated talks for months before that he had not bothered much with it. On the other hand once he realized that he would be playing it soon he quickly took the time to do his research. This was because he was also the type who liked to do things properly.

It was hard to find good, reliable information on Royal Road initially. This was because a lot of people posted a lot of crap online. Some were just trolling but others had much more devious agendas in mind. This was due in part to the challenge put forth by the Unicron Company. The challenge was thus; who so ever managed to conquer the continent of Versailles and become Emperor would be given 10% of the company's profits for that month. The proclamation sent people crazy. The reason for this was simple. For many years, Unicron was a multi-billion dollar business dealing in all kinds of cutting edge technology. This was before the release of Royal Road. Royal Road, Unicron's latest cash crop, made the company hundreds of millions of dollars every month. 10% of the company's combined profits for a month would be enough for a person not only to live like a king for the rest of his life but also let his descendants for a least four or five generations do so as well.

This created a race. A race to the top where individuals began to search for any advantage they could hold over their peers. That was the major reason why there was so much false information online. People were seeking to disadvantage their competition by feeding them wrong information. Thankfully the trend did not last long. For one thing, it led to the rise of a whole new virtual business; Information trading. Firm were set up that dealt in correct information on the workings of royal road for a fee. Unions were also set up that dealt out correct, helpful information to members also for a fee. This helped out a lot and fewer people fell victim to information scams.

Secondly, by the third month after the game was released all those people who had thought that completing Royal Road was going to be easy were forced to face the harsh reality of things. It was considerably more difficult to level up in Royal Road. Monsters were harder to beat and all activities actually required a modicum of skill. This was vastly different from what most were expecting. Those who thought it was the same as the old joystick controlled games were given an unwelcome surprise. The difficulty involved in levelling up and advancing skill proficiency soon proved to everyone that beating Royal Road was going to take a while. This was a major block against the spread of false information. This was because the value of good information soon became readily apparent now that everyone needed it. Sure there was still information hoarding but on a whole it facilitated the spread of good information for mutual benefit.

That brought Kazuto to where he was now. After many weeks of planning and research he knew how he wanted to start his game. So as he climbed into his capsule all he could was smile and shiver in anticipation of what was to come. Bursting with confidence he switched it on.

**Part 2**

Only a few moments passed before he found himself floating in an inky black area. It was strange. His body just hung there in the empty darkness without support. Briefly he wondered if this was what limbo was like. Luckily he didn't have to worry about because almost immediately a transparent screen appeared before him and a woman's voice asked.

-Connect to Royal Road-

Looking at the message screen he pressed the yes option.

-Select the name of your avatar-

He did not even have to think about this one. He had a special handle he used for all his games. It was a simple amalgamation of his first and last names. It was something he had used do often that is was almost like every time he used it he was unleashing a part of himself that was normally kept buried. It was also like a switch was being flipped. Kirigaya Kazuto became Kirito, master gamer and ultimate grinder.

-You have chosen Kirito as your name. Is this correct?-

"Yes!"

-Select your gender from male, female or neutral-

"Male!"

-You have selected male as your gender. Is this correct?-

"Yes!"

-Royal Road has forty-nine races. You may select your race from the primary twenty- nine-

Another screen popped up. This one had the name of the twenty-nine available races however Kazuto did not bother to go through them he knew what he wanted but in order to make sure he asked.

"Could you please display the elven races side by side for me?"

The other names disappeared leaving only the elven ones behind. At this Kazuto let out a small sigh of disappointment. He had hoped that there would be a new one or something different to exploit. Sadly, he did not get that.

"Please display the starting stats of each race!"

The display on the screen changed to match his specifications. He looked through the windows displayed to make sure that his information was genuine. You could never be too sure after all. Luckily it all matched what he knew already so he went ahead and chose the race he had planned on.

"Select moon elf as race", he said calmly.

-You have selected moon elf as race. Is this correct?-

"Yes!"

This was something that had been in Kazuto's head since he first heard of the race selection in Royal Road. For him the chance to play as a race different from his own was too good to pass especially when he could play as a member of a magical race. For someone like Kazuto who was an avid fan of fantasy novels this offered a myriad of choices. With the knowledge he had due to his reading and gaming habits as well as the knowledge that the race he chose would affect his game play it should be understandable how such a choice should not be made lightly. Thus it took a while but eventually he chose to start with an elven race.

-You may select your appearance-

He thought about it for a second and begun.

"Please bring up my current appearance".

The AI complied and he soon found himself looking at his mirror image. Right before him on an illuminated dais stood an 18year old boy barely 6 feet tall. He had short dark black hair that glinted in the light in a way that seemed to shine with a hidden lustre. His eyes were a dark purple and carried a strange curious spark. His face was handsome yet slightly feminine and his mouth displayed a small smirk of self-assurance. This when combined with his eyes and stature gave him a peculiarly regal bearing. His body was the same. He looked graceful and languid with bound, compact muscles that belied their true strength. Kazuto stared at his appearance unsure whether to change anything. This was a look he had worked hard at and he was quite proud of it. Eventually he spoke up saying.

"Change my appearance to be more elf like."

His appearance changed in accordance with his commands. His height remained the same but his ear and nose grew pointier with the ears growing longer as well. His body began to thin out as well becoming leaner and losing some of its muscle. His skin paled slightly and his eyes grew more focused. The overall effect was great though. His seemingly regal bearing was accentuated and his while his looks remained mostly the same he somehow looked smarter and wiser. This was a plus in his book. The only thing wrong was the hair. It made his ears stand out too much. So he lengthened it till only the tips peeked out. This way he could cover them or leave them out if needed to.

-You have chosen to start as one of the fair, wise moon elves-

-+10 Affinity to nature-

-Unlocked trait Path finding-

-20% increase in stats at night. 30% in moonlight-

-Cannot wear heavy armour-

-Cannot use heavy weaponry-

-15% decrease in standard carrying capacity-

Kazuto had known that there would be consequences for choosing to start as an elf. However looking at the list of penalties listed on the screen he nearly faulted. The first two he expected since elves were notoriously frail when compared to most of the other races but the last was bad for many reasons. Nevertheless now that he was done with character creation aspect he faced the dilemma of choosing where to begin his adventure.

"Please show a list of starter towns on the frontiers of their respective kingdoms", he asked. A list with over 30 names appeared. "Now show the towns with the least player populations, starting with the least". Kazuto was amazed. He had not known that the AI would comply or not. Gratefully it did so allowing him to make a far better, more informed choice. This was going to benefit him greatly. He quickly listed a few other parameters and soon narrowed down his choices to just two cities.

-You have chosen the City of Stagvale in the Kingdom of Brent as your starting town-

-Welcome to Royal Road-

-Begin tutorial-

This posed a new issue to Kazuto. After waiting so long to play he was not sure whether to skip the tutorial and get right on to playing or not. The tutorial was definitely going to take a while and was probably unnecessary like most game tutorials were. Thinking on it for a moment he selected yes. He had every intention of playing the game properly so he figured he might as well start off properly.

Interestingly the tutorial was more helpful than he thought it would be. It covered topic such as levelling up, stats, relations with NPCs, classes and other miscellaneous information like titles, monster hunting and others. There was also a portion where it took the player through the common game motions like walking, running, check the stat windows, putting and taking things out of the inventory as well as how to activate skills. Granted he already knew a lot of that but he was pleasantly surprised all the same. What was even more surprising was the reward for completing the tutorial.

-You have completed the tutorial, + 50 fame-

-You are one of the first 10 people to complete the tutorial, + 50 fame-

It was all he could not to burst into cheers. Fame was very important n Royal Road. It affected the sort of quests that were available to a player. It also affected the player's interaction with NPCs as well as the prices of NPC made or sold goods and even the kind of goods that were available to the player. To think he would get such a great head start just for completing the tutorial. What was even more surprising was the extra fame for being in the first ten to complete the tutorial. It was well known that the first person to discover or create something new in Royal Road received fame but he would never have guessed that being one of the first to complete the tutorial was included. He also would not have guessed that even eight months after the release of the game that less than ten people had taken the time and effort to complete the tutorial.

'Most must have been in too much of a hurry to start playing', he mused. It also showed how difficult and layered the game was. He had already begun playing even before he logged on. If there were things hidden right before the game truly started then who knew how many other things were hidden in plain sight. This was not a game for him to take lightly. Thus he resolved himself to uncover all he could about the world known as Royal Road even as the City of Stagvale faded into existence around him.

**THAT'S A WRAP PEOPLE! HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT!**

**Author's Rants:**

I am not completely sure how this fic got so stuck in my head but I can already imagine loads of stuff I can do with it. To those of you who are waiting for updates of my other stories. Please understand that I am not abandoning them. I just hit a few too many bumps in the road and ended up losing my desire to write. Hopefully I'll not run into as many snags with this story. Sadly, I just can't work on all of them at the same time and so I need to prioritize. Priority number one would change every so don't worry I would get to them later. This is my first attempt at writing in nearly six months and I over a large part of it to my friend Smiley_2 for first badgering to read Moonlight Sculptor and then to get me writing again. And so with a few prayers and a bit of luck this will tide you over until I regain enough of my old mojo to continue my other stories. Anyway, that's that. I'm moving on straight to chapter two so that shouldn't take too long. Hopefully it would be up soon, maybe a week tops. I would also like to make it known to all of you that I am open to suggestions on how to develop the story faster and make it better. Remember that if I bothered to write an explanation for something (especially if it's a long one) then whatever I am talking about has some import or bearing on the story even if it is not readily apparent.

**THANKS A LOT FOR READING!**** DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE ME A REVIEW SO I KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!**


	2. A Royal Welcome

**Summary:** Kirigaya Kazuto is a brilliant young man who has just received a game as a birthday present. However it is not just any old game. It is Royal Road, the most advanced virtual reality game in the history of the world. Follow his exploits as he seeks to carve out his legend on the continent of Versailles. [This is basically a Sword Art Online and Moonlight Sculptor crossover fanfic that explores what it would be like for Kirito to be born in the world of Weed and get the chance to play Royal Road instead of SAO. This fic may contain some elements of Ark]

** Sorry for the long author's notes in the last chapter. I just had a lot I wanted to say. Thumbs up to Smiley_2 for his help. **

**Disclaimer:** I LupineKing (places one hand on bible and raises the other into the air) do here by declare that I do not own any part of the original works. As usual, I acknowledge that anything the original creators and owners came up with and put into the series before I began writing this fanfic belongs to them I however own whatever plotlines, techniques, OCs, yada … yada I put into this fanfic. This piece is simply for fun and I rake in no profits, just reviews (I hope). So help me God.

"Strange cave looks pretty dangerous." - Normal person's voice.

"**Come in mortal, I've got cookies."** – Demon/Boss monster's voice

'Does he really think I'll fall for that?' – Normal person's thoughts

'**Come on! Make my day. Just step in'** – Demon/Boss monster's thoughts

"Danger Sense!" – Skill activation command

-**Inventory**- - Display window

Chapter Two: A Royal Welcome

**Part 1**

The city of Stagvale was one of the smallest cities in the Kingdom of Brent. It was so named for the bountiful numbers of deer that roamed the large valley it inhabited. As the furthermost city from the capital it was pretty much one of the frontier places of Royal Road. Very few players chose to start in a place like Stagvale. The reason for this was very simple. There were numerous benefits that could be gained if one started at a capital. For one there were a greater number of quests to do and a greater variety of goods and services available. There was also the opportunity of obtaining help or aid from the ample number of guilds that existed in capital towns as well as abundant information on the city, it surroundings and generally everything it had to offer. This made capitals and large cities the best place for new players.

Despite this there were still people who chose to start in frontier cities like Stagvale. This was because it was harder to level up in such large cities. Rabbits, foxes and other such low level creatures that most players hunted to level up were in short supply around large cities due to the over hunting that having such a great number of players inevitably caused. Smaller frontier cities like Stagvale had the opposite. Due to the relatively fewer sum of players there were many creatures that could be hunted and less competition for hunting grounds. However this had a bad side to it as well since it was far more likely for a player to end up being mobbed by monsters around frontier cities. There was also a greater chance for a player to discover new things and areas if one was in a frontier city. This was great for many people who sought to adventure but even they had to admit that the chances of dying in such an attempt were quite high. Even so most would say that the benefits one would gain in the event of success were more than enough reason to try.

The elf known as Kirito was one such person. He had logged onto Royal Road for the chance living a life of adventure and was quite eager to see what the game had in store for him. So as he appeared in the spawning area of Stagvale city all he had in mind was the burning desire to carve out his own legend in this brand new world. He was however forced to put aside his ambitions in favour of observing the world around him.

His eyes opened in astonishment at the sight of dozens of avatars of users and NPCs alike haggling and talking. He looked around taking note of how they came and went, everyone going about his or her own business. To be honest if he did not know he was currently logged on to Royal Road Kirito would have thought he had landed in a busy marketplace. He had thought he was prepared for virtual reality but now that he was partaking in it everything was so much more different. It all felt so real. He could feel the heat and the wind against him. He could hear the chattering of the people around him and smell so many pleasant and unpleasant things.

'This is what they mean when they say that Royal Road is a world on its own', he thought to himself.

His thoughts were cut off when he received a sudden alert. Quickly and soundlessly he opened it to see what it entailed.

-Congratulations! By random selection you have received the inborn trait Mage Sight. By obtaining this trait through the random selection process your luck has gone up by 12 to reflect this-

Kirito was immediately confused. This was completely unexpected. Nothing he had read or heard so far about Royal Road had mentioned anything about this. 'Random selection process', 'Mage Sight'. So many questions sprung to mind and he had no proper idea what was going on. He was about to check for more information when he was interrupted yet again. This time by an elderly NPC who tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me young sir!" he said.

Kirito immediately turned to face the old man and fired off a greeting and a short bow. The old man chuckle and muttered something that sounded like, 'Hmmm, polite' under his breath. Once pleasantries were exchanged he asked.

"Venerated elder, how may I help you?"

The old man smiled again and responded, "Ah young sir! You misunderstand. I am the one who is here to help you".

"How so?" Kirito asked.

The old smiled and with a look of pride he proclaimed, "It is my duty to welcome fine young men like yourself to the city and show you the lay of the land so to speak. I am sure someone like you who has recently arrived on the continent of Versailles could benefit greatly at my guidance".

With this simple proclamation Kirito who was slowly and steadily getting more and more confused finally understood what was going on. The old man was one of those standard NPCs in games that is the first to greet the player. He was probably going to show him around the city and provide a brief overview of the places, people, goods and services that the city provided. Nonetheless from the way the other users round him were muttering this was most likely not a normal occurrence.

'It must be because of my high fame', he quickly realised.

Royal Road was a game that boasted of near unlimited freedom. It was so great that it was just a few steps away from complete disorder. Players could do whatever they wanted however they wanted. Despite this, all the high ranking positions were still occupied by NPCs. This greatly reinforces the need for personal contacts. Since the world was largely controlled by NPCs it became important for players to do what they could to build familiarity with NPCs as fast and as much as they could. Familiarity with NPCs significantly increased the variety of goods, services and quests available to players. That was why fame was so important. The more fame a player had the greater the ease and speed of building familiarity with NPCs.

This showed how fortunate Kirito was to obtain so much fame right at the beginning. Every new player in Royal Road is first confined to his starting city for a week in the real world or four weeks in the game. This allowed players to learn more about the world and the city they were in as well as acquire skills that would be of use once they were allowed to leave the city. Thus a great majority of players spent their time trying to do as many simple quests and learn as many skills as possible. However to do this one must first build familiarity with the NPCs you are trying to obtain the quests or skills from first. So the first order of business for new players was to earn as many public service points as possible, gain fame and build familiarity.

No wonder so many people around Kirito looked pissed off. He had done nothing at all yet he was approached by a high level NPC. His fame had taken care of that for him. Fame he would not have if he did not complete the tutorial. Swiftly, Kirito directed the old man to the side of the Central Square and away from the eyes of envious players. They were annoyed that this obvious noob in front of them had achieved something they had not. As he strode past the ones that were openly glaring he made sure to show neither weakness nor acknowledgement of their petty emotion. As a result he appeared to most as an arrogant cad who was flaunting his good luck. Kirito did not notice this though; he was completely focused on the old man beside him.

The old man's name Kirito soon discovered was Bulb. Bulb was an official chosen by one of the city councils to see to the welcoming and orientation of newcomers in the city. He was quite friendly and laughed at the few jokes Kirito told him. As he took him round the city he would point out places that would be of use to Kirito. Places such as a relatively cheap smithy, several stalls and shops, a few inns, the training hall and the city library. Sometimes as he did so he would introduce some of the NPCs they met to Kirito. He also liked to tell stories about some of the places they visited. For example, there was a time he pointed at a corner and said.

"The best beggars I have ever seen in my life both claimed that spot for their own. They made so much money and all they had to do was sit there. They would look so miserable and dejected when they did so that you couldn't help but toss coins their way. I swear that place must be magic or something".

Kirito greatly enjoyed the short stories. They revealed things about the city around him that only someone who had lived his life here would know. He also greatly appreciated Bulb showing him where to go to get beginner items and the like. He also thanked him every time he introduced him to someone new. The great thing was they were all people who could be of great help to him as he began his adventure. After all how many users got the chance to build intimacy points with people like a blacksmith, two shop owners, a tavern owner and a tailor on their first day.

For his part all Kirito did was be polite and ask Bulb questions about the city and his life. They were all questions that Bulb was happy to answer. He had realised early on that Bulb liked that he was being polite and respectful. He also seemed to delight in the interest he displayed when he told his stories or talked about his life experiences. He had even seen a glimmer of respect in Bulb's eye when he had stopped to help an old lady load produce onto her cart. Kirito was soon amazed at the level of detail that went into the making of Royal Road. It was far beyond anything he had imagined. Everything was so real and lifelike. The items, the scenery and the NPCs were so well made one might as well consider them to be real. The NPCs could not even be distinguished from the users. You would think they would be different but that was far from the truth. Interacting with Bulb enabled Kirito to judge for himself.

The NPCs in Royal Road could not be compared to the NPCs of any of the other games Kirito had ever played. The NPCs were real, they were people. They had experiences and lives of their own. In the end Kirito begun not to see Bulb and the other NPCs as mere characters in a game but rather as people.

**Part 2**

Kirito grew pretty close to Bulb over the cause of their walk. Listening and chatting with the old man quickly became more than a simple orientation and tour. That is why when his stroll with Bulb came to an end he was slightly saddened.

"So Kirito, what are you going to do now?" Bulb asked him.

Thinking carefully before answering as was his custom Kirito said, "I am not sure Bulb-san. You have shown me so much. It is a lot to take in. I want to start off on an adventure but I also want to make good use of all you have told and taught me today. In the face of my current indecision I would be very grateful if you could give me some advice on how to start".

Bulb gave him a funny look. He then asked again. "You would entrust the start of your adventure to me?"

Kirito answered confidently. "Bulb-san is someone who is so respected by the council that he was chosen to guide newcomers like myself. You have also taught me a lot today and opened my mind to a lot of things. Everywhere we went you were greeted and given respect. It is clear to me that Bulb-san is very wise and knowledgeable. That is why I am asking you for guidance before starting my adventure. If Bulb-san is to give me advice I am sure it would be very helpful to me".

This earned him another funny look. However Bulb nodded as if he had expected something like that. He then gained a thoughtful look for a moment before he asked yet another question.

"What kind of adventure are you hoping for Kirito-kun? You do not seem like the type to settle with a craft. Do you wish to travel the path of the sword as a warrior or adventurer or follow the ways of magic?"

Kirito also took a few seconds to compose his answer before voicing it out. "It seems that Bulb-san has seen right through me. I admit that I am hoping to become an adventurer of great might and renown. Unfortunately I am not sure which of the paths you have mentioned will suit me best. I am afraid that this is because I know little of what they entail or how I would go about them. That is why I am asking Bulb-san for help. I know you would guide me in the right direction".

At his answer Bulb smiled. His chest swelled up a little with pride and his manner towards him changed ever so slightly. He drew himself closer to Kirito and patted him on the shoulder a bit before saying, "My advice to you is to do all you can and leave nothing out. Take every opportunity that presents itself and learn what you can. When you seem stuck or are just plain confused seek help. There is no useless knowledge and there is no useless skill. Learn, practice and train and you will succeed. You might not be able to make a choice now but as you grow and learn things would become clearer to you".

Bulb's answer confused Kirito a little. There was clearly something to his words even though it was not readily apparent. Nonetheless he made sure to thank Bulb for all his help and advice. He ended with promises to make good use of all the knowledge he had been given. However Bulb had one final thing to tell him before he went away.

"Since the thing you lack most at this time is knowledge the first place I would suggest you go is the library. You will surely learn a lot there. My son Tube is one of the senior librarians there. Tell him I sent you. He is sure to help".

Kirito thanked him once again for his help before turning to leave. The minute he did do he came to a stunning discovery. His walk with Bulb had ended in a plaza not too far from the Central Square they started from. It was a relatively small plaza but had many exits. The direction Bulb had sent him towards in particular had three exits. Thanks to his stroll around the city Kirito realised where each led to. The first led towards the magic district. Many shops and businesses that catered towards magic users were located there. The city's Magic guild was also located there. In fact he could see the building from where he stood. The third exit led towards the warrior district where businesses that catered to warrior type classes were located. The Warrior guild and basic training hall were also located on that route. The one he could see though was the training hall.

The second exit which lay in the middle on the other hand led straight to the city library. This could not be a coincidence he realised. Had he chosen any of Bulb's first offers such as becoming a warrior or magician the old man would have undoubtedly sent him down one of the other paths. It was his answer that had made the old man send him this way. There was a hidden choice all along. He quickly turned around to confront the old man on the issue only to see him slip through the crowd and down a side passage. That cemented it in his mind; the old man had definitely done this intentionally. Kirito came to a swift conclusion. The assumption he had made after the tutorial was spot on. His adventure had started even before he began playing.

With this in mind he committed himself to being the best he could in this new world. He set forth towards the library turning to the floating screen before him as he did so.

-You prove yourself to be a wise, well-spoken young man. +5 Charisma-

It appeared when he gave his final answer to Bulb. He had gotten similar alerts as he interacted with NPCs during his stroll with the old man. It had not taken long before his quick mind worked out was triggered it. His charisma was a measure of how he conducted himself. When he conducted himself in a manner worthy of respect or offered good counsel to NPCs he gained charisma. This in turn made NPCs more friendly and respectful towards him. The effect was very subtle. So subtle in fact that if not for his hobby of people watching he would not even notice it. Truth be told, raising his charisma by interacting with the NPCs Bulb introduced had not been very difficult. They were all much older than him and that helped greatly. He was used to acting in ways that would make adults take him seriously. He just wasn't sure it would work as well with his peers. He tended to act too mature for most of them to feel at ease around him. Quickly he pushed those thoughts away. He would deal with that when the time came. Instead he chose to focus on what he had gained and learnt so far.

By simply being a smart, respectful, polite young man he had gained a total of twelve stats in charisma. He had also earned two extra points in wisdom. The best thing about his new stat was it allowed him to rack up more familiarity points with the NPCs he had interacted with so far. He opened up his stat window to check out his current stats.

-**Status** **Window**-

**Avatar**: Kirito | **Race**: Moon Elf | **Type**: Neutral | **Level**: 1 |

**Class**: None| **Title**: None| **Fame**: 100 |

**Life**: 100 | **Mana**: 140 | **Stamina**: 50 |

**STR**: 6 | **AGI**: 12 | **VIT**: 10 | **INT**: 12 |

**WIS**: 12 + (2) | **LUK**: 5 + (12) | **CHR**: 0 + (12)

**Leadership**: 0 | **Offence**: 0 | **Defence**: 0

**Resistance to Magic**: None | **Affinity to nature**: 10

-**Racial Traits**-

*+10 Affinity to nature

*Unlocked trait Path finding (Unlocks Auto mapping skill)

*20% increase in stats at night. 30% in moonlight

*Cannot wear heavy armor

*Cannot use heavy weaponry

*15% decrease in standard carrying capacity

-**Rare Inborn Trait**: Mage Sight

Seeing the skill Mage sight displayed reminded him that he still hadn't found out what it did yet. So he quickly switched to the skill window.

-**Skill Window**-

***Auto Mapping** (Passive) | Beginner level 2 | **Progress**: 72%: A skill that allows a user to always remain aware of his surroundings. It displays the user's immediate surroundings on a mini map displayed at the bottom right corner of the user's screen. It can also display hidden persons or areas depending on the user's proficiency. It may also be enlarged to observe a larger area.

Kirito turned to look at the mentioned screen. He had noticed it when he first began walking around with Bulb. It had started out completely grey with a green blip in the centre. As they went around the city the grey bit was slowly coloured in. Names even appeared on certain highlighted buildings. He quickly recognized it as a mini-map. It was obviously a great skill to have and thankfully he didn't have to work on it to increase skill proficiency. It did that by itself. Making a mental note to check it often he turned to next and only other skill.

***Mage Sight **(Active) | Beginner level 1 | **Progress**: 0%: A rare inborn trait that is only present in 1 out every 120,000 people. It is seen a sign of great magical potential to be born with this skill. It allows the user to enhance his or her vision with magic to see what would ordinarily be hidden from him or her. It also allows the user to learn all vision related skills. **Mana cost**: 10 | **Duration**: 10 minutes.

'Jackpot!' he yelled inwardly.

This skill was pure gold. A skill that allowed him to enhance his sight with magic and also granted him the ability to learn all other vision related skills, he could already think of many uses for such a skill. He was so happy that he wanted to yell out; 'Great fortune has befallen me!' like his Grandpa was fond of doing when lucky. Quickly he took a glance around to take in his surroundings. The people around were definitely not the type to see the humour in it. So wisely, he held his tongue. Concentrating once more on the skill window he decided to test it.

"Mage Sight!" he whispered.

Obligingly the world burst into new life around him. Colours became even more vivid. His vision became much, much sharper than anything he could have imagined. He was able to see things that had originally escaped even his normally excellent observational skills such as the snake like crack on the wall to the right of him and the mole on the neck of the person walking in front of him. He could also see things that were beyond normal sight. For instance, now he could tell the titles, classes, levels, mana, health and stamina of the people around him as well as whether they were users or NPCs. There was so much information that he was forced to quit walking and stay put till he could properly take it all in. Once he was sure he could handle the information load he tried something else.

The description said he could learn all other vision based skills. To test this out he took out his canteen from his inventory and staring at it intently he whispered the command for one of the few vision related skills he knew.

"Identify!"

A new window popped up.

**Item**: Beginner's Canteen | **Requirements**: None

**Durability**: 20/20 | **Capacity**: 2 litres

**Description**: A standard canteen given to new users to carry water in.

Quickly Kirito checked his skill list and lo and behold the 'Item Identification' skill was now displayed there. He smiled to himself, visibly elated. Why wouldn't he, he had three very useful skills and all he had left to do was level them. They were certain to be of great use on quests especially the 'Mage Sight' skill. He looked again at the description. A skill that only showed up in 1 out of 120, 000 people. Last he checked there were a little over 8 million players of Royal Road so doing the math that would mean that only about a 70 players had the skill. No wonder it was listed as a rare inborn trait. As Kirito walked up the steps in front of the city library he couldn't help but wonder what sort of people had also obtained the skill. Also if there was one rare inborn trait, didn't that meant that there were others out there. What kinds of skills did they provide and what did those skills do? Those were the kinds of questions running through his mind. With his mind so occupied Kirito barely had enough presence of mind to stride up to the receptionist and draw his attention. One thing was for sure though. The more he walked through the world of Royal Road, the more amazed he was, the more questions and answers he uncovered and the more interesting it became.

'This is going to be fun!' he thought to himself.

**AND THAT'S ANOTHER CHAPTER DEALT WITH! HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS ONE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN **

**Author's Rants:**

_Yes! Yet another chapter bites the dust. Turns to chapter three, "You're next!" I'm moving on straight to chapter three so that shouldn't be too long. If all goes well I would be done in a week maybe sooner. Again, I would like to make it known to all of you that I am open to suggestions on how to develop the story faster and make it better. Remember that if I bothered to write an explanation for something (especially if it's a long one) then whatever I am talking about has some import or bearing on the story even if it is not readily apparent._

**AS USUAL THANKS A LOT FOR READING!**** PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!**


	3. There's a whole lot to learn

**Summary:** Kirigaya Kazuto is a brilliant young man who has just received a game as a birthday present. However it is not just any old game. It is Royal Road, the most advanced virtual reality game in the history of the world. Follow his exploits as he seeks to carve out his legend on the continent of Versailles. [This is basically a Sword Art Online and Moonlight Sculptor crossover fanfic that explores what it would be like for Kirito to be born in the world of Weed and get the chance to play Royal Road instead of SAO. This fic may contain some elements of Ark] ( This is the last time I am going to start with the summary)

** I'm sorry about the short chapters. I will do my best to work my way up to my former chapter lengths. **

**Disclaimer:** I LupineKing (places one hand on bible and raises the other into the air) do here by declare that I do not own any part of the original works. As usual, I acknowledge that anything the original creators and owners came up with and put into the series before I began writing this fanfic belongs to them I however own whatever plotlines, techniques, OCs, yada … yada I put into this fanfic. This piece is simply for fun and I rake in no profits, just reviews (I hope). So help me God.

"Strange cave looks pretty dangerous." - Normal person's voice.

"**Come in mortal, I've got cookies."** – Demon/Boss monster's voice

'_Does he really think I'll fall for that?'_ – Normal person's thoughts

'_**Come on! Make my day. Just step in'**_ – Demon/Boss monster's thoughts

"Danger Sense!" – Skill activation command

-**Inventory**- - Display window

Chapter Three: There's a whole lot to learn

**Part 1**

Meeting Bulb's son Tube was interesting enough. The man was frighteningly similar to his father. So much that he would be a mirror image if he chose to grow his hair out a bit and quit wearing his glasses. In fact, the first impression Kirito had of was that of a middle-aged headmaster. Tube was very helpful just like his father and while he was obviously busy he took a few minutes to meet Kirito and help him get acquainted with the library and the services it offered. He had also gotten him the stack of recommended books he was now reading.

The books were great. There were a few about the history of the city and the Kingdom of Brent as a whole. He learnt of notable figures in recent history and what they were known for. At the moment he was reading a book about the different kinds of monsters and beasts that could be found around the city. It told of their basic attack patterns and abilities as well as the best hunting grounds of each of the species mentioned in it. Smiling in happiness Kirito devoured all the books before him. Reading was one of his hobbies and he was very good at it. In a short while he was done with the books in front of him.

-Intelligence rises by 1 point-

He smiled. This was the second one. Looking at the time on the display window he realised that it had been a little over six hours since he started reading. His smile faded a little. It had taken more than six hours of reading to increase his intelligence stat by two points. Was it really that hard to increase stats? Had he gotten it easy when he got so many stats just from conversing with NPCs? These and many other questions run through his mind. After several minutes he came to a conclusion. It was very likely that each stat had its conditions for increasing. For example, he had already figured out how the charisma stat increased and now he knew how to increase the intelligence stat. However the methods he had discovered might not be the only the ways of increasing them. Also each stat obviously had an effect on him. From what he had seen, charisma made NPCs more likely to listen to him and intelligence increased his mana. He had to understand what exactly each stat did and how they affected him and each other. Maybe then he could determine whether they were worth the time and effort and if so how best to increase them.

So getting up he began to scour the beginner's section of the library for books relating to stats. Grabbing a few he sat down to read them. After nearly four hours and one more intelligence stat point he was forced to give it up as a lost cause. All he learned was the relationship between the stats; like how wisdom reduced the amount of mana needed to perform skills and spells whilst intelligence increased the amount of mana the person had and other such things. While helpful these did nothing to tell him how to increase the stats. He could tell that there was a lot that the books did not talk about. Some of them even said so whiles hinted that there was more to it than that. Trying to use his stat window to check only showed what he had just read.

Kirito began to wonder if this was something that revealed itself as one levelled up or unlocked new skills. He based this on how he unlocked the charisma stat. He had only unlocked it by talking to NPCs and proving himself to be someone to be respected and listened to. The charisma stat then unlocked itself and gave him a measure of his skills in that department. He figured that until then he had had no charisma stat because there was no need to measure his ability to make NPCs listen to him. Was it possible that the reason there was so little information about stats because this was all that was relevant to beginners? Would the game alert him when he unlocked skills or abilities if they affected or depended his current his current stats and skills? **(1)**

He thought back to the message that showed up when he first unlocked the charisma stat.

-You succeed in making others listen and obey you. New stat: Charisma (+2 CHR)-

The more he thought about it the more he figured that it was possible. Nonetheless he briefly wondered whether this was not a ploy by the game designers. Royal Road was still a relatively new game. Perhaps they had intentionally left a little information out, just the bare minimum so that they could add things as the game went on if necessary and it would look like they had been in place since the beginning. He immediately discarded the thought because of how foolish it was. Royal Road was much too advanced and detailed a game for them not to go over and be sure of the very basics. Everything in Royal Road was planned and worked in such a way that it could truly be called a separate reality. For them not to be done with the very basics of life in it would be beyond impossible. **(2)**

However there was only one way to check to see if he was right. He would have to wait and see what happened as he levelled up and acquired new skills. At this Kirito begun to ponder on the reason he came to the library in the first place; to find the information that would help him with his adventure. He had already accomplished much in the time he had spent in the library. He now knew a lot about the city and kingdom he was in as well as the sort of monsters and beasts that prowled Stag Valley. All he had left to do was read on classes, titles and races. He had to know what exactly his race was capable of and what sort of classes would most likely suit it. He also needed to know what exactly titles did in Royal Road.

He got up again to search for more books only to be accosted by a librarian.

"Kirito-san", the man began. "Could I please have a moment of your time?"

Kirito looked at the bald old man. He was one of the librarians he had met when looking for Tube, Bulb's son. He greeted the man with a small smile and nodded. The old man in question shuffled closer and said to him.

"I would like some help shelving the books on the tables you find in this section. Do you think you could help me?"

-**New Quest: Shelving Library Books**-

| The old librarian needs help shelving the books in his section. He has asked for your help in doing so.

**Difficulty Level**: F

**Quest Requirements: **

*Familiarity with the Stagvale city librarians

*Must be acknowledged as a smart, reliable person by the librarians

**Quest Rewards:**

*Learn the Stagvale Library's Shelving and Filing system

*1 silver coin

Kirito grinned inwardly. He had just got his first quest. Sure it only had an F level difficulty and didn't provide much in terms of rewards but it was still a quest. Plus, knowing the library's filing and shelving system would help him greatly when it came to finding the sort of books he wanted. Outwardly, he gave the old librarian a kind smile and said.

"I would do my best!"

-You have accepted the quest-

Kirito then spent the next five minutes listening to the old man explain the libraries filing and shelving system. Once he demonstrated that he knew and understood it the old man sent him off. Grabbing a few books he began to put them into the appropriate shelves. There were an inordinate number of books on the tables. Looking around he further confirmed this. The library was sparsely populated. More than two-thirds of the seats were empty and had been when he first entered the place. Many of the people in the library were NPCs with only a sixth of all the people being users. Most of the NPCs didn't stay in the library for long unlike the players. There weren't many people in his section and most of the people who had left had not returned or even stayed long. How then did so many books end up on the tables?

Instantly Kirito was on alert. He searched around for whatever it was he was missing. His time in Royal Road had shown him that there was always something hidden below the obvious. Looking around carefully whilst thinking carefully on the old librarian Kirito searched for something out of place. What had he said, what was I doing, what is going to happen now? As usual, questions run through his mind as he tried to figure out what was going on. Slowly he went about his quest. At the end of it he found nothing. It appeared that there weren't secrets hidden in every single thing. Completing the quest and receiving his reward he settled back to reading.

For the next four days in the game Kirito could only be found in the library. Being a swift reader he quickly worked his way through stacks of books. It also helped that he had an aim for reading and a genuine interest in the material. He read with such passion that soon most of the librarians took note of him. Stopping only for food and drink he focused only on the task ahead of him as he had a lot he wished to know before he set out. Occasionally his intelligence stat would rise and sometimes so would his wisdom stat. He was very pleased about this. However he was especially glad about the fruits of his research. Over the four days he had paid special attention to topics concerning titles, classes and races; mostly his race. What he discovered left him a bit perplexed but the possibilities inherent were great.

Most elf races shared many similar characteristics. They were swift, wise and great woodsmen. They were truly at home in the outdoors due to their high affinity with nature and possessed great affinity to the magical arts. However it was the former that had influenced his decision to start as one. Form the very start he had intended to have an adventurer type character and this hadn't changed. Elves with their great wilderness capabilities were definitely the best choice in this regard. In fact one of the favoured classes for elven users was the ranger class. They served as the scouts for many parties and guilds. Also, thanks to their agile and magical natures, most also favoured the ranged and magical classes. Upon seeing his high mana and agility Kirito had begun to entertain fantasies of become the sort of mage who weaved swiftly between helpless melee opponents and blasted them away with mighty spells before they could react. Sadly that didn't seem to be in the works for him.

Apparently moon elves weren't really known for their archery skills. While they possessed the mostly the same senses that allowed their fellow elves become so phenomenal in the art they just didn't specialise in it. Whilst most other elf species specialised in archery and magic, moon elves specialised swordsmanship and magic. Kirito had not known this. He was unsure whether he had lucked out or not. He had chosen moon elf as his race primarily because he had wanted to experience what it would be like to be something other than human for a change. The secondary reason was simple, he really liked the colour black and the moon elf avatar was depicted in dark clothes. It was also affiliated with night time when all was dark and black, the time he did his best thinking and studying. **(3)**

He could honestly say that he had just felt he would more comfortable as a moon elf than any of the other non-human races. Melee combat was something he knew very well in real life and in the few games he had played nonetheless he had resigned himself to learning ranged skills this time around. It would have been a new and unfamiliar experience but that was one of the main reasons he was playing Royal Road in the first place. Now he was not sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed at this turn of events. Thinking about it objectively he realised he was being foolish. This was just one less thing for him to get used to or worry about. Plus the only way to change would be to delete his current character and start over which would be a waste. Not to mention he wasn't sure he would be able to get the head start in fame or his mage sight again a second time around. Resolving to do the best with what he had he continued reading. There was still a lot to cover.

Determined to learn all he could about the classes Kirito knuckled down and read everything he could get his hands on that was related to what he wanted. After reading a few books containing overviews of the basic classed he went into the history section to read about famous examples of each. Soon he was reading myths, novels and pretty much anything he could lay his hands on. He also helped the librarians shelve books at least twice a day as well as clean the place. This netted him a decent amount of silver coins. With his wealth he did not have to worry about starving in the game. Rye bread, which he had been eating, was the cheapest food he could find. It cost only three coppers. One silver coin was equal to one hundred copper coins. It wasn't tasty but by continuing to eat it he was able to save nearly all the money he got from helping the librarians.

It was on the sixth day as he shelved some books that his sharp eyes spotted something. There was a book slightly out of place. He didn't think much about it as his mind had gotten used to the calm and monotony of this particular quest. Stretching his arm out slightly he tried to push it back in place. The moment his hand touched it a window popped up.

-Your luck rises by 2 points. (+2 LUK)-

He was so startled he dropped a few of the books nestled in his other arm. Glancing around hurriedly to see if other people noticed he put the remaining books on a table and reached for the mystery book. It was quite old looking and had a plain brown cover. It had no title and appeared to be a journal of some kind. Opening it tentatively he began to read. There was a hastily scrawled note on the inside cover. He read that first.

_I am forced to come to terms with the fact that I am dying. This strange disease I've picked up in my travels has progressed too far for me to be saved. I find myself alone, without heir or student to pass my knowledge to. Nonetheless before I die I have to make sure that my knowledge, hard won from my many adventures remains of some use. Thus I am going to stash this book in a place where any lucky adventurer who values knowledge would find it. _

_ To whoever was lucky enough to find this journal; I have endeavoured in my last days to write out what few tips and notes I could remember that would be of use to any young adventurer just starting out. It is my desire that this finds its way into the hands of someone who would make use of it. I have done my best to write out what I have discovered to be the basic pillars for living life as a successful adventurer. It is also my hope that the lessons and advice in this book prove themselves to be of use to you._

_ -Eladar Stoneshard _

Kirito was stumped. There was no doubt that the book in his hands was a rare find. Perhaps from the words written in it, it was even a unique item. He read the author's words again. This time he picked up on the numerous repetitions and emphasis on the word luck. Had he passed some luck check without realising it? The author had made it clear that the book was for lucky would-be adventurers. Was his high luck stat what had allowed him to find it? If so then he had really beat the odds this time.

'_Beat the odds'_. Those three words began to rattle inside Kirito's skull. A crazy idea began to form in his mind but he put it aside for the moment. He had to concentrate on his find. Giving the book another look over he noted the complete lack of any of the marks used to identify the library's books. This meant it did not belong to the library meaning he could claim it as his own.

Completing his quest quickly and claiming his reward he sat down to peruse his new acquisition. The book did indeed have tips on how to start an adventure. In fact the first two chapters covered majority of the concerns he had been having.

_If you really want to live a life of adventure then you don't have to worry about things like classes. Not while you are preparing at least. What you need are skills. Any person who wishes to become a first rate adventurer should first focus on gaining skills that would help his or her journey. Many classes offer many restrictions on what the person can or cannot learn. Thus it is best to first tailor yourself for a life of adventure and then find a class that suits and benefits from your skills rather than starting with a class and then trying to adapt to it. _

_ There are many skills that cannot be done without such a method of self-defence. Nonetheless any prospective adventurer should also take a good long look at him or herself and find auxiliary skills that they know fit them and will be of use in a life of adventure. Bear in mind that adventuring often involves long stays in the wilderness alone as well as lots of exploring. The adventurer should therefore plan with this in mind. He or she should make plans and contingences for being stranded in the wilderness and obtain skills that would be of help. I will of course help by listing categories of skills that I have found to be of use when adventuring._

Kirito read intently. It seemed this Eladar character whoever he was knew what he was talking about. The longer he read the more he found himself sure that he had hit the jackpot. The book offered him the sort of advice and information he had been searching for this whole time. He got up to research the author. At first he did not find much but when he enlisted the help of one of the librarians he got what he wanted.

Eladar Stoneshard was one of the more notable figures in the city's early history. He had been born back when Stagvale had been a mere frontier village. Born to a family of stonemasons and shepherds he grew up wishing for a life of adventure. One day he set out to find his fortune and was not heard of for nearly two years. When word finally got to Stagvale of his achievements most of the town's folk could scarcely believe it. Eladar had become an adventurer of great renown. He defeated roving bands of monsters, explored the darkest dungeons, found hidden treasures, rescued damsels and towns in distress. What's more, he did most of this completely on his own. Soon Eladar Stoneshard was more than a simple adventurer. He became a known and celebrated hero. Bards composed songs about him and his deeds were known of in many a kingdom.

One day, a few months shy of his fiftieth birthday he returned to his hometown for the final time. A few days later he died. Being without heir he had his immense wealth shared amongst his remaining relatives with the majority donated to the city itself to help with its growth. Another thing he learnt was that the money used to build the library was donated by Eladar Stoneshard himself. In fact one of the reasons for the man's final journey home was so he could be here for the Library's first opening.

Taking all this into consideration Kirito realised that the book he held was far more valuable than he had first imagined. Having learnt more about its origins he knew that this book was one of the main reasons Eladar Stoneshard had been in so much of a hurry to get home before he died. Briefly he wondered if he was the only one to have ever discovered the book. He probably was. If not then the book would not have remained in the library. Taking his seat yet again he began anew.

_'Let's see what this book has got in store'_, he said to himself. 

**Part 2**

It was two hours before dawn when Kirito appeared in the spawning plaza, though it had been late at night in real life when he logged on. Thanks to the time dilation that Royal Road provided where one hour in real life was four in game he was about to begin his ninth in game day. However, unlike usual he did not immediately set off to the library upon appearing. Instead he set off towards the training hall.

Eladar's book had provided him with great insight on how to prepare for a life of adventure. Now he did not worry about things like classes and titles. Instead he had spent every afternoon of each day since discovering the book on obtaining skills. Apparently it was much easier to obtain skills at lower levels than at higher levels especially if one did not have a class to complicate matters. For example, it would be far easier for a level 1 user with no class to obtain any skill he wanted than it would be for say a level 50 warrior. This was because he or she would not be restricted by class. It was harder of someone with a class to learn skills that outside his class. For instance, a warrior learning a craft skill, or a mage learning a merchant skill would be very difficult. Some classes even prevent the learning of certain skills and delete or replace some existing ones. A classless person on the other had would be better able to learn any of these skills because he or she is not restricted.

On the other hand the classless person would not obtain any of the benefits of learning a skill associated with a class. For example, a person with a sword warrior class may obtain up to + 50% bonus attack when armed with a sword. A classless person or someone not with a sword warrior class would not have this benefit. Thus there were many pros and cons to having or not having a class. Unfortunately not having a class had far more cons than pros. Not only did one not get any bonuses on skills but the person was also restricted on how far he could level his skills. If you had a skill related to your class you could theoretically level it all the way to the stage of master or grandmaster in some cases. Without a having a class related to the skill you would most likely be unable to reach half that. Also having a related class greatly increased the speed at which skills related to that class levelled up. This was not all. Classes greatly affected the progress of a character; what sort of weaponry or armour used and the in some cases the sort of quests available. No NPC was going to give to a warrior a quest that required a mage. The NPC would be even less likely to give the quest to someone without a class at all.

Looking at these facts, one would almost think that going without a class was stupid. This was true to a point. Many people who rushed into classes ended up locked in a class that they did not want in the first place. What if you started with a mage class and then realised that you would be better off as a knight? If you had been a mage since the beginning and then ended up switching classes to a warrior class then all your skills would be reset to what they would have been had you started out as a warrior. Being a mage would have allowed all your magic related skills to level up maybe 50% faster than if you weren't a mage. Let's say that having been a mage from level 7 to level 41 your magic related skills have all risen to intermediate. By changing to a knight class you would lose the 50% levelling boost the mage class gave you. Your magic related skills would then be reset to the value they would have been if you had never had the skill boost in the first place. This would mean that the levels of your magic related skills would probably fall back to beginner. Not to mention that you would probably also lose a few of those skills outright.

Then there would be the problem with your stats. Mages usually have very high intelligence and wisdom based stat distribution with very little by way of strength or stamina. Unfortunately stats tend to stay the same when you change class. So by changing from a mage class to a knight class you end up a knight with very high intelligence and wisdom stats and very low strength and endurance; the very thing that defines most knight classes. You would probably also lack certain stats common to knights and would have to start them off from the beginning. This would mean that you would have changed classes only to find yourself so unbalanced you would either have to change back or delete your character an start again. This was why intelligence guilds and information sites made so much money from giving users advice on classes and how best to change as well as which type to change to depending on your current class. Class choices were a very important decision when playing Royal Road more so even than any other game he had played before.

It was also the reason why Kirito had spent so much time researching stats, classes, titles and his race so that he would know the best choice to make. Mercifully, finding Eladar's book had changed all that for him. Eladar had proposed a simple solution to this problem. First off, outline the skills you already had and the type of skills that would best suit your race. Then take the sort of life you would want to lead in the case an explorer slash adventurer type and the sort of skills you would likely lead. Then abusing the fact that classless people could learn pretty much anything find ways or opportunities to learn the skills you would need to live the sort of life you want. By cross-referencing the skills you had with the ones you were able to learn and the ones you would need you would be able to come up a suitable list of skills to learn. Upon learning these skills you could then search for a class that not only made the best use of the skills at your disposal but also benefited from them. This way you would be less likely to end up with a class that neither suited you nor trapped you in a class you did not want.

So following the advice in the book Kirito first listed the skills he had; Auto- mapping, Mage Sight and Item identification. Then he listed the capabilities of his race as he had come to understand them. Lucky for him Eladar had been an adventurer the same kind of class he wished for. Unfortunately, there was no information on what class Eladar had had. Nothing he dredged up made mention of it and Eladar's book was suspiciously lacking on that subject as well. It appeared the man had made sure that no one could copy his exact footsteps. On the other hand, the book had a lot of information for would be adventurers like Eladar had promised it would. It outlined certain categories of skills that were recommended for adventurers. It did not suggest any particular skill but rather made it known that what skill the reader learnt would depend on his preference and aptitude. All it did was recommend a type.

However, since he wished to be an adventurer as great as the author Kirito took the things in it seriously. That was why for the past three in game days he had spent his time not at the library but rather roaming the city, doing his best to obtain skills. He still went to read at the library for a few hours every day, mostly around the time he knew the Shelving books quest would be available. As he still needed funds after all. Plus it would be stupid to stop when it provided a steady flow of income for little work. It was also the reason why he had logged in when it would be so early in game. Not only would there be much fewer people there than at any other time he would also be able to train till his 9 o'clock shift at the blacksmith's shop nearby.

Eladar's book had made it clear that when preparing to be an adventurer one had to first acquire skills that would enable him or herself to survive independently no matter where he was. Being an adventurer meant that he would often find himself stuck in the wilderness or any other remote location such as ruins or dungeons. So he reasoned that when counting the skills necessary to survive he would need the cooking and repair skills. The cooking skills because he would obviously need food and the repair skill because he would definitely need some way of maintaining his equipment while he was on the move. He could not always rely on going into town to get his equipment fixed or buy food. He had also counted the item identification skill as well because he had learnt that at higher levels it would not only help him identify edible foods from inedible ones but also help him determine the true value of any items in his possession. The latter would be particularly important since the main income of an adventurer came from the selling of loot. Knowing the true value of items in his possession would reduce the chances of getting cheated by merchants.

So he used his Item Identification skill where ever possible so that he could level it up quickly. He had also gotten a job at one of the smithies Bulb had shown him. The owner in particular was one of the NPCs he had become familiar with on his first day and had taught him the repair skill in exchange for a few hours of work. Now Kirito spent five hours every day from 9 to 3 working at the smithy fixing equipment for users and NPCs alike. He only got paid a silver and fifty coppers for the work but it he considered it fair. There wasn't much he could repair very well yet and he raised his skill proficiency doing it so it all worked out.

From 3 o'clock he went to the library to read and return whatever books he had borrowed. Then he helped shelve books. He then borrowed a few more books to read at work when he wasn't serving any customers before leaving at 5 o'clock for his other job. His evening job took place at the Running Ale Inn. The owner was one of Bulb's in-laws and he had been introduced to Bulb's daughter on the first day. It was also the first place Tube had recommended when Kirito mentioned he was looking for work at an inn. At first Kirito could not believe it. Who knew he would have benefited this much just from following Bulb around the city?

The Running Ale Inn was a very successful place. When he got there he realised that it was unlikely to be the kind of place that would be hiring people like him with no skills. Lucky for him his high familiarity with the inn keeper's wife and his recommendation from Tube helped him get a job working in the kitchens there. That was just what he needed. Within an hour he obtained the cooking skill. Sadly, he had not yet been allowed to help prepare the dishes. All he did was wash, cut and prepare the vegetables and other ingredients. He also helped keep the kitchens clean and aid the servers when the place got too busy. Thankfully, preparing the ingredients helped raise the proficiency of his cooking skill. It dawned on him that perhaps he should not be impatient. It had only been two days after all. Who knew what could happen?

Being so busy with his two new jobs, helping out at the library and raising his skill proficiency it was a wonder he had found time for what might be the most important skill he would need as an adventurer. The skill that Eladar Stoneshard had stressed as the most crucial for any adventurer was a means of self-defence. Any person who had no means to protect him or herself when adventuring might as well walk into a death trap. There were many dangers of living life on the road and paramount amongst them were monsters and bandits. Eladar did not outright say to learn combat or magic skills. He just made it clear that without the means to defend oneself and fend of attacks living as an adventurer would be impossible. In fact, he added that staying alive on the continent of Versailles in general would be difficult. He had stressed that it was not necessary to focus on learning offensive skills and made it clear that one could focus completely on defensive skills or any mixture of the two and still succeed.

Kirito did not need to think long and hard about this before making a decision. He was going to focus on offense. Being a moon elf did not exactly give him many choices in this regard. With his inability to wear heavy armour he did not have much potential in manner of defence. So, he was going to have to either learn swordsmanship or magic. He could also choose to learn archery but it was not something he was very familiar with and he would rather stick to the things he knew. At this point he begun to envy the ability of human users to learn anything and everything but he was not going back on his choices just yet. That was why he now stood in front of the training hall. He wanted to get a grasp on how melee combat in Royal Road was like before heading over to the magic district to check on how magic worked. He wanted to have a good grasp of both before he made his final decision.

The only word in Kirito's mind as he walked up the instructor was 'big'. The man was close to seven feet tall and had the lean, taut muscles of an Olympic runner. He wore a strange mix of leather and steel armour. Strange in the sense that even though it seemed to be one complete set of armour some parts were made of leather and others of steel. His shoulders, forearms and shins covered with steel with an under layer of dark leather. His chest and back which one would ordinarily think would be better protected only had the dark leather to cover it. His legs were also protected by the same dark leather whiles his head had a steel helm on it.

To be honest, the man fascinated Kirito. For one thing, he wore mostly dark themed armour. Also he looked strong doing so. There was this palpable aura of danger around the man. It was like being close to a dangerous creature. You knew you had to be on your guard around it or risk getting injured. This was the kind of person Kirito admired, the kind who not only appeared worldly and experienced but also skilled and dangerous. This was the kind of person he wanted to be only better. That's right Kirito wanted to be the best. He was used to it. He was acknowledged as the brightest in his class and he liked it. He liked it because he worked hard for it. Partly because it was expected of him and partly because that was pretty much his nature. Once he started something he tried to dedicate himself to it till he became the best at it.

There were a few other reasons as well but he had to discard them in favour of the tall man who he had just realised was staring at him impatiently. It was never a good idea to keep anyone waiting especially if that person had a great sword slung over his back. Raising his face to look up at the man he tried to keep his voice steady and said.

"Good morning Sir Dolce!"

The man nodded impassively. Kirito immediately caught on that the man was not the type who wasted time.

"My name is Kirito", he said with a bow. "You might not remember but Bulb-san introduced me about a week ago. I have come to report for basic training".

The tall knight just nodded and murmured, "I remember. You can find wooden swords beside the walls. Grab whatever feels comfortable and get to work. There are many dummies".

He ended the last part abruptly but Kirito could sense a bit of disgust and derisiveness. It made him worry about whether or not he had made the right choice with his introduction. Was this because he made mention of the fact that Bulb referred him here? Perhaps Dolce did not like it when others came in and dropped names. Taking note of that he turned and went further into the training hall.

The place was vast. There had to be hundreds of training dummies in the hall. Each was spaced at least a full seven feet from the next. The floors were cold and hard whilst the roof was high and vaulted. There were dozens of open windows each strategically placed to let in the breeze. The place was the grandest training area Kirito had ever seen. This was not a gym. The lack of standard gym equipment made that clear. The only purpose of this place was combat training; this was emphasized by the training dummies and wooden weaponry by the walls. Kirito could not help but gaze around in wonder as he walked over the stacked weapons. The place was just so awe-inspiring.

Picking up a wooden sword he chose a scarecrow and walked up to it. He made sure to choose on that would be out of sight to those looking in from the entrance. It was a bit isolated and enough to the side that he could see most of the other dummies around. There were a few other people who had seemingly had the same idea he had. They were all training a few even seemed to have been at it for a while. Facing his dummy he swung his sword. _'I'd best get started as well'_, he thought.

It only took an hour of hitting the training dummy for Kirito to give up. He hated it with every fibre of his being. His internet research had informed him that all he had to do was hit the training dummy with his weapon. Many sites had recommended it to be the best way to gain sword mastery. A few also mentioned that he could gain many stats by the time he completed the basic training programme. There were warnings that the process would be difficult and take a lot of time but that anyone could do it if they bothered. Some also discouraged it due to the time it took and mentioned that it was mind numbingly monotonous. Kirito read it all and took everything with a grain of salt. Still he took basic training for the sword mastery and the promise of up to forty stats. _'Besides'_, he had thought. _'It can't be too difficult, can it'?_

His assumption had also been further strengthened when he came and saw other users training as well. It was just hitting a dummy. So he picked up a sword and joined them. How hard could it be? He was right. It was not hard at all. It however went against everything he had been taught. He hated it. How could mindlessly hitting a dummy for hours on end be called proper training? As he went about it all he could imagine was his grandfather's disapproving face glancing over his shoulder. Kirito had grown up in a family of strong kendo practitioners. His family even owned a dojo. It had been closed for two generations but his grandfather was thinking of reopening it. Bottom line was he had been raised to respect swordsmanship. His grandfather had even trained him in the sword arts as a child. He was someone who had won first place in Kendo in his middle school regionals. While he might have quit practicing kendo not long afterwards it did not mean he had forgotten what it was about.

_'The way of the sword is a way of combat. It is a deadly art that must be feared and respected. As practitioners of this way, our family's sword must be elegant! Our art, one of precision and skill! Our sword must be one that garners respect!'_

Those were but some of the words his grandfather had drilled into his head even before he picked up his first boken. Watching people hit training dummies without any rhyme or reason in the name of swordsmanship angered him. More so since he was being made to do so himself. He could not abide by it. It would be different if they actually had some technique to their strikes and were doing so as a form of endurance training but many of the people around were just swinging their swords in the same manner you would expect someone to swing a bat. Others merely battered their dummies without any form of control or direction of their strikes. **(4)**

In the end Kirito came to a decision. He was not going to continue. So he quit. There was nothing that said he had to train the same way the people around him did. So with a calm breath he settled into one of the starting postures his grandpa taught him. Then he began to strike the training dummy. He did so with calm measured strokes taking care to revise all the tips and movements his grandfather taught him. Within a short while he set himself a pace reminiscent of the days when he practiced kendo seriously. An hour later a new window popped up.

-Strength rises by one point. (+1 STR)-

-Agility rises by one point. (+1 AGI)-

-Vitality rises by one point. (+1 VIT)-

-New Stat: Fighting Spirit-

-New Stat: Sustenance-

-**Fighting Spirit**-

You can call on superhuman strength temporarily, or bring weaker opponents to their knees with the force of your eyes alone. You are prohibited from distributing stat bonus points to this stat. it rises spontaneously depending on the avatar's action especially if you fight for a long time or often confront monsters of a higher level than yours.

-**Sustenance**-

You are likely to use less stamina in an action. You are prohibited from distributing stat bonus points to this stat.

Kirito got out a loaf of bread and began to chew on it. His satiety was running low. As he did so he checked out the other windows.

-You have gained Sword Mastery-

-**Sword Mastery** (Passive) | Beginner level: 1 | **Progress**: 23%-

This is the basic skill of all users of sword type weapons. It boosts all skills and actions performed with the sword. It levels up with continuous use of the sword and may provide better boosts and benefits on higher levels.

Increases Attack Power when using a sword (+30% ATK)

Increases Attack Speed when using a sword (+9% ATK SPD)

Kirito was very surprised. Aside from all the stats he gained at once he had also gained sword mastery as well. From what he had read, he was not supposed to gain sword mastery or another two or three days at least at that was pushing it. It appeared that by using proper sword forms and techniques he had earned the skill quicker. He turned to face some of the other trainers. Would they earn the skill when they finally gained some technique to their sword strikes? He put them out his mind. They did not concern him. His thoughts were on something else. Even with his technique, his strikes barely moved his training dummy. Meanwhile the big oaf a few trainers to his left swinging his sword like a bat smacking his dummy left and right. The poor thing continued wobbling even when he took a break. Kirito looked at his much scrawnier arms. Was his strength really that poor? If so he would have to find to find a way to overcome this glaring weakness.

Turning to face the weapon racks he was hit by an idea. _ 'If one sword is good shouldn't two swords be better?' _With a grin he walked up the rack to pick another sword.

**THAT'S ALL FOLKS! HERE'S ANOTHER FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN **

**Author's Rants:**

**1. **Stats and their effects are a very complicated issue in Royal Road. They affect so many things differently and grow in many different ways all depending on the user. For example, Weed's art stat. when he first got it it was useless. It grew everything he made a new sculpture or saw a new work of art but did nothing and had no use until he gained skills like sculpture destruction which allowed him to convert his art stat to strength temporarily. The art stat may not work the same for someone who is not a sculptor since the person would not have that skill. Another example is the charisma stat. Weed mainly uses that stat when talking or giving orders to NPCs. It is a bit different for Jeong Hyo-Lynn/Hwaryeong the dancer in his party. In her case it affects the potency of her dances and their effects on her audience. Weed cannot use his charisma in such a way because he is not a dancer and does not have the skills required to do so. This is partly so that you do not have a fixed view about the stats in this fic as they will act similar to how they are in Royal Road and differ slightly depending on their user and his or her skills.

**2. **I am neither saying nor implying that this is what is happening with Royal Road. This is just Kirito looking at things from every angle he can think. Personally, I think most of the things in Royal Road are planned far ahead of time. Just look at the amount of time between Weed gaining the art stat and it becoming useful. Also I sometimes come across sometime in the story and then recall earlier bits that sort of foreshadowed what I just read. It's extraordinary.

**3. **We are talking about Kirito here. This is the guy who chose the spriggan race when playing alfheim online. He did so not because of its great pros or few cons but rather because the avatar wore dark/black themed equipment.

**4. **I am sorry but I honestly don't believe that mindlessly hitting a scarecrow for hours on end is going to somehow make you a better swordsman. Everything is useless if not done with proper technique. This is different for Weed because he could make proper strikes. His sword strokes not only had purpose and ferocity but were also performed with what little skill he had picked up during his short training at his dojo. That alone was enough to make him the person with fastest basic training completion time ever to pass through the training hall of Serabourg City. If he was able to do so with a barely a few months of training what do you expect someone like Kirito who not only studied swordsmanship as a child but is also acknowledged to be gifted at it to do?

**THANKS FOR READING!**** PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF IT! YOU KNOW, THE ****USUAL.**


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